Law enforcement cracks Henderson County meth ring

Authorities have arrested 24 of 29 people indicted in connection with year-long investigation

From staff reports

Published: Friday, October 11, 2013 at 11:16 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, October 11, 2013 at 11:16 a.m.

Law enforcement officers have arrested 24 of 29 individuals recently indicted as a result of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution and conspiracy investigation, according to a news release from the Henderson County Sheriff's Office.

The investigations began in June 2012 and to date have resulted in the seizure of more than $42,000 in cash, four weapons, two automobiles, 32 grams of cocaine, 2,603.3 grams (5.74 pounds) of methamphetamine and 84 grams of marijuana, the release states. The drugs seized have a street value in excess of $265,000, authorities said.

The arrests, along with true bills of indictment issued by a Henderson County Grand Jury on Sept. 30, targeted several high-level distributors of methamphetamine in the Henderson County area.

The suspects who have been arrested are:

(1) Amanda Lee Pressley, 30, of Hendersonville, who is accused of trafficking methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $16,000.

(2) Margaret Rosemary Gibbs, 50, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $16,000.

(3) Laura Kathleen Robinson, 44, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $8,000.

(4) Christopher Thomas Pressley, 26, of Etowah, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. His bond was set at $10,000.

(5) Clyde Coleman Forrest, 56, of Zirconia, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. His bond was set at $8,000.

(6) Rhonda Allison Forrest, 52, of Zirconia, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $15,000.

(7) Thomas Barry Heatherly, 48, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. His bond was set at $8,000.

(8) Marcos Josť Hernandaz, 32, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to sell and deliver methamphetamine. His bond was set at $30,000.

(9) David Benjamin Nelson, 28, of Zirconia, charged with conspiracy to sell and deliver methamphetamine, sale of methamphetamine, possession with intent to manufacture, sale and deliver methamphetamine, maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine, maintain a vehicle for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine and failure to appear on driving while impaired. His bond was set at $60,500.

(10) Tina Louise Stamey, 43, of Clyde, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $8,000.

(11) Felipe Lee Villafranca , 24, of Hendersonville, charged with contempt of court, failure to appear on the possession of stolen property. His bond was set at $1,000.

(12) William Bradley Keller, 25, of Hendersonville, charged with order for arrest, contempt of court, and his bond was set at $300.

(13) Araceli Sanchez-Jaramillo, 23, of Hendersonville, charged with felony possession of Schedule II cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $12,500.

(14) Josť Gomez-Sanchez, 22, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. His bond was set at $10,000.

(15) Juan Carlos Cruz-Magna , 31, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, conspiracy to sell methamphetamine. His bond was set at $60,000.

(16) Francisco Gomez-Jaramillo, 28, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, trafficking methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. His bond was set at $30,000.

(17) Juan Miquel Vasquez-Ortiz, 24, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, trafficking methamphetamine and conspiracy to sell methamphetamine. His bond was set at $105,000.

(18) Raul Aceves-Rizo, 39, of Fletcher, charged with trafficking methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. His bond was set at $60,000.

(19) Jorge Piquet-Terron, 20, of Zirconia, charged with felony possession of marijuana, conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, felony maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of a controlled substance and trafficking methamphetamine. His bond was set at $60,000.

(20) Heather Lynn Sams, 23, of Hendersonville, indicted for possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine. She is currently in the custody of the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

(21) Raymond Ortiz Florez Jr., 23, of Hendersonville, charged with possession with intent to sell methamphetamine, conspiracy to sell methamphetamine, and maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of the sale of methamphetamine. His bond was set at $16,000.

(22) Sidney Thomas Nalley, 56, of Hendersonville, charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia conspiracy to sell methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of selling delivery of methamphetamine. His bond was set at $9,500.

(23) Richard Scott Justice, 44, of Flat Rock, charged with conspiracy to sell methamphetamine. His bond was set at $1,600.

Also indicted by the Henderson County Grand Jury in a separate methamphetamine related case was Elisa Serna.

Serna, age 47 of 226 Shorty Collins Drive, East Flat Rock, was charged with two counts of trafficking methamphetamine and two counts of maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine . Her bond was set at $30,000, and she remains in the Henderson County Detention Facility.

The following persons have been indicted and have yet to be arrested. If anyone knows the whereabouts of any of these individuals, please contact the Henderson County Sheriff's Office at 828-697-4911.

(1) Raul Robles Caravajal, 43, of Zirconia, indicted on charges of trafficking methamphetamine conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine.

(2) Lorin Viola Rutherford, 33, of Hendersonville, indicted on a charge of possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine.

(3) Jason Christopher Dills, 39, of Hendersonville,indicted on a charge of possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine.

(4) Kevin Nicholas Schonderwoerd, 43, of Hendersonville, indicted on a charge of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.

<p>Law enforcement officers have arrested 24 of 29 individuals recently indicted as a result of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution and conspiracy investigation, according to a news release from the Henderson County Sheriff's Office. </p><p>The investigations began in June 2012 and to date have resulted in the seizure of more than $42,000 in cash, four weapons, two automobiles, 32 grams of cocaine, 2,603.3 grams (5.74 pounds) of methamphetamine and 84 grams of marijuana, the release states. The drugs seized have a street value in excess of $265,000, authorities said. </p><p> </p><p>The arrests, along with true bills of indictment issued by a Henderson County Grand Jury on Sept. 30, targeted several high-level distributors of methamphetamine in the Henderson County area.</p><p> </p><p>The suspects who have been arrested are:</p><p> </p><p>(1) Amanda Lee Pressley, 30, of Hendersonville, who is accused of trafficking methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $16,000.</p><p>(2) Margaret Rosemary Gibbs, 50, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $16,000.</p><p>(3) Laura Kathleen Robinson, 44, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $8,000.</p><p>(4) Christopher Thomas Pressley, 26, of Etowah, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. His bond was set at $10,000.</p><p>(5) Clyde Coleman Forrest, 56, of Zirconia, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. His bond was set at $8,000.</p><p>(6) Rhonda Allison Forrest, 52, of Zirconia, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $15,000.</p><p>(7) Thomas Barry Heatherly, 48, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. His bond was set at $8,000.</p><p>(8) Marcos Josť Hernandaz, 32, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to sell and deliver methamphetamine. His bond was set at $30,000.</p><p>(9) David Benjamin Nelson, 28, of Zirconia, charged with conspiracy to sell and deliver methamphetamine, sale of methamphetamine, possession with intent to manufacture, sale and deliver methamphetamine, maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine, maintain a vehicle for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine and failure to appear on driving while impaired. His bond was set at $60,500.</p><p>(10) Tina Louise Stamey, 43, of Clyde, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $8,000.</p><p>(11) Felipe Lee Villafranca , 24, of Hendersonville, charged with contempt of court, failure to appear on the possession of stolen property. His bond was set at $1,000.</p><p>(12) William Bradley Keller, 25, of Hendersonville, charged with order for arrest, contempt of court, and his bond was set at $300.</p><p>(13) Araceli Sanchez-Jaramillo, 23, of Hendersonville, charged with felony possession of Schedule II cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Her bond was set at $12,500.</p><p>(14) Josť Gomez-Sanchez, 22, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine. His bond was set at $10,000.</p><p>(15) Juan Carlos Cruz-Magna , 31, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, conspiracy to sell methamphetamine. His bond was set at $60,000.</p><p>(16) Francisco Gomez-Jaramillo, 28, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, trafficking methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. His bond was set at $30,000.</p><p>(17) Juan Miquel Vasquez-Ortiz, 24, of Hendersonville, charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, trafficking methamphetamine and conspiracy to sell methamphetamine. His bond was set at $105,000.</p><p>(18) Raul Aceves-Rizo, 39, of Fletcher, charged with trafficking methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine. His bond was set at $60,000.</p><p>(19) Jorge Piquet-Terron, 20, of Zirconia, charged with felony possession of marijuana, conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, felony maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of a controlled substance and trafficking methamphetamine. His bond was set at $60,000.</p><p>(20) Heather Lynn Sams, 23, of Hendersonville, indicted for possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine. She is currently in the custody of the North Carolina Department of Corrections.</p><p>(21) Raymond Ortiz Florez Jr., 23, of Hendersonville, charged with possession with intent to sell methamphetamine, conspiracy to sell methamphetamine, and maintaining a vehicle for the purpose of the sale of methamphetamine. His bond was set at $16,000.</p><p>(22) Sidney Thomas Nalley, 56, of Hendersonville, charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia conspiracy to sell methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of selling delivery of methamphetamine. His bond was set at $9,500.</p><p>(23) Richard Scott Justice, 44, of Flat Rock, charged with conspiracy to sell methamphetamine. His bond was set at $1,600.</p><p>Also indicted by the Henderson County Grand Jury in a separate methamphetamine related case was Elisa Serna. </p><p>Serna, age 47 of 226 Shorty Collins Drive, East Flat Rock, was charged with two counts of trafficking methamphetamine and two counts of maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine . Her bond was set at $30,000, and she remains in the Henderson County Detention Facility.</p><p> </p><p>The following persons have been indicted and have yet to be arrested. If anyone knows the whereabouts of any of these individuals, please contact the Henderson County Sheriff's Office at 828-697-4911.</p><p> </p><p>(1) Raul Robles Caravajal, 43, of Zirconia, indicted on charges of trafficking methamphetamine conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of sale and delivery of methamphetamine.</p><p>(2) Lorin Viola Rutherford, 33, of Hendersonville, indicted on a charge of possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine.</p><p>(3) Jason Christopher Dills, 39, of Hendersonville,indicted on a charge of possession with intent to sell and deliver methamphetamine.</p><p>(4) Kevin Nicholas Schonderwoerd, 43, of Hendersonville, indicted on a charge of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.</p><p>(5) Josť Alfredo Dominguez Aguilar, 23, of Hendersonville, indicted on a charge of conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine.</p>